Sodium chloride NaCl

Sodium chloride

This article is about the chemical. For in cooking and the diet, see Salt. For the medical solution, see Saline (medicine).
Sodium chloride
Sodium chloride as the mineral halite
Sodium-chloride-3D-ionic.png
Crystal structure with sodium in purple and chloride in green
Names
IUPAC name
Sodium chloride
Other names
Common salt

Sodium chloride /ˌsoʊdiəm ˈklɔːraɪd/,[2] also known as salt, is an ionic compound with the chemical formula NaCl, representing a 1:1 ratio of sodium and chloride ions.
With molar masses of 22.99 and 35.45 g/mol respectively, 100 g of NaCl contains 39.34 g Na and 60.66 g Cl.
Sodium chloride is the salt most responsible for the salinity of seawater and of the extracellular fluid of many multicellular organisms.
In its edible form of table salt, it is commonly used as a condiment and food preservative. Large quantities of sodium chloride are used in many industrial processes, and it is a major source of sodium and chlorine compounds used as feedstocks for further chemical syntheses. A second major application of sodium chloride is de-icing of roadways in sub-freezing weather.